ADB Announces New Selected Solutions from the #DigitalAgainstCOVID-19 Hackathon
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) selected Safe2Go and ASafeRide as the best solutions from the recently concluded Modelling a Safe Return to Work challenge and Driving Safe Transportation Using Digital Solutions challenge under the #DigitalAgainstCOVID-19 hackathon last December 10, 2020.
The two challenges under the ADB’s #DigitalAgainstCOVID-19 mega hackathon showcased innovative digital solutions from participants worldwide to help solve development and institutional challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Safe2Go solution from Singapore tackles the safety concerns upon employees’ return to work. While A Safe Ride solution, which team members hail from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, SAR China, addresses the urban mobility challenges during an outbreak.
“The challenges were all very competitive. We had some great solutions and pitches. This is an important agenda for us in ADB as this hackathon finds solutions to some of the great challenges we are facing, especially in this battle against COVID-19,” lead judge Bruno Carrasco, Chief of ADB Governance Thematic Group, commented as he thanked all the finalists. He added, “All teams were very strong. I want to thank the team for all the hard work and effort.”
The Safe2Go solution helps businesses trace workers' movements in a non-intrusive manner through the iBeacon Bluetooth technology. The iBeacon serves as a lighthouse that flashes light, emits Bluetooth signal to mobile phones, and determines mobile phone movement. These movements then generate insights and trigger alerts. Team founder Chris Lo, together with his team members, Thomas Kunambi and Jerry Lim, took their solution to another level by making each phone become both a beacon and also a receiver. With the iBeacon to phone interaction and phone to phone interaction, the solution creates a three-ring safety bubble in the physical workspace. The Safe2Go bested 23 teams in the Modelling a Safe Return to Work challenge.
Developed by the start-up company Arup, ASafeRide was the selected solution from the Driving Safe Transportation challenge to help governments provide citizens digital transport information, coordination, and updates for a safe, accessible, and efficient transport system. The app uses real-time crowdsourced data to connect commuters to various public transportation modes. With several combinations of GPS data, simulation modeling, and artificial intelligence, ASafeRide delivers real-time information on the location, capacity, and estimated arrival time of different public transportation in the user's desired route, allowing for convenient planning and safe commuting practice. It also boasts an e-payment function and virtual community where users can connect and exchange information. Jimmy Tong, Klervin Collado, Peter Paredes, Fang-Yun Sin, and Marvin Wirjomartono of ASafeRide solution competed against 29 teams from 16 different countries.
Teams showcased their innovative solutions on the virtual pitching day.
The two challenges consisted of several stages: the shortlisting stage, mentoring phase, final, and the final pitching event. During the pitching event, the finalists went through a competitive filtering process based on relevance and impact, feasibility and scalability, innovation, and user experience. The esteemed panel of judges included lead judge Bruno Carrasco, Chief of ADB Governance Thematic Group; Yan Jiang, Deputy Director General of Budget, People and Management Systems; James Leather, Chief of ADB Transport Sector Group; Rana Hasan, Director of ADB Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department; Ozzeir Khan, Director of ADB Information Technology Department; and experts outside ADB like Natasha Bautista of QBO Innovation Hub Philippines and Robert Siy of Pasig Transport. Hosted by the CEO and founder of Thinking Machines Stephanie Sy, the two pitching events gathered over 40 attendees, becoming the ninth and tenth successful challenges of the #DigitalAgainstCOVID-19 hackathon.
The #DigitalAgaintsCOVID-19 hackathon is a year-long hackathon jointly organized by ADB and the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to crowdsource digital solutions that can help Asia and the Pacific combat the COVID-19 crisis and create the new normal. The hackathon covers four main themes Health and Well-being, Education, Economic Development, and the Enhancing Institutions, which the two challenges were featured. The selected solutions will receive seed funding and access to resources for further prototype development and pilot launch.